There is a great deal of art in the packaging industry. Attractive packaging of products is a great aid to the sale of such products. Much packaging contains detailed written descriptions respecting the products contained within. In some cases, the product is well displayed. Very recently, electronic products have been displayed in packaging which allows the user to activate the product in the packaging to perform a brief demonstration of the product""s use or capabilities. It would be a considerable advance in the art if the packaging itself could provide enhanced information to the user, either audibly or visually or by a combination of audible and visual stimuli. It would be a further advantage to extend such capabilities to display materials associated with products, other than traditional packaging.
Accordingly, in a major aspect of the invention, innovative and improved display materials associated with products provide enhanced information to potential or actual purchasers of a product. In an aspect of the invention, product packaging for demonstrative use in association with a product comprises demonstration means adapted to demonstrate the use or capabilities of the product, means to receive electrical power, and means to receive signals from integrated circuit means programmed to control the demonstration means, such that when electrical power and integrated circuit means signals are received, the demonstration means is activated.
In a further aspect of the invention, product packaging for demonstrative use of a product comprises a source of electrical power, integrated circuit means comprising programmed demonstration information, demonstration means associated with the packaging adapted to demonstrate the use or capabilities of the product, and switch means adapted to initiate activity of the integrated circuit means, such that when the switch means is activated, signals from the integrated circuit means activate and control the demonstration means.
In a further aspect, product packaging for demonstrative use of a product comprises a source of electrical power, integrated circuit means comprising pre-programmed sound segments relevant to the product, sound reproduction means to reproduce sound under the control of the integrated circuit means, and switch means to initiate activity of the integrated circuit means, such that when the switch means is activated, pre-programmed sound segments suitable to demonstrate the use or capabilities of the product are generated.
In a further aspect of the invention, product packaging for demonstrative use of a packaged product comprises: packaging adapted to hold a product; a source of electrical power; an integrated circuit chip comprising pre-programmed sound segments relevant to the product; sound reproduction means to reproduce sound under the control of the integrated circuit chip; and switch means located on the packaging to control the flow of electrical power to the integrated circuit chip; such that when a user activates the switch means, pre-programmed sound segments suitable to demonstrate the use or capabilities of the product are generated.
In further aspects of the invention:
(a) the product is a toy;
(b) the source of electrical power comprises an electrical storage battery;
(c) the battery is associated with the packaging;
(d) the battery is associated with the product;
(e) the integrated circuit chip is associated with the packaging;
(f) the integrated circuit chip is associated with the product;
(g) pre-programmed sound segments comprise human speech;
(h) the pre-programmed sound segments comprise sound effects;
(i) the means to reproduce sound comprises an audio speaker;
(j) the audio speaker is associated with the packaging;
(k) the audio speaker is associated with the product;
(l) the means to reproduce sound comprises multiple audio speakers;
(m) at least one audio speaker is associated with the packaging, and at least one other audio speaker is associated with the product;
(n) the switch means is adapted to be activated by a user""s touch;
(o) the switch means is associated with a graphic representation of a use or capability of the product;
(p) the product packaging further comprises illumination means to illuminate the graphic representation when the switch means is activated;
(q) the switch means comprises multiple switches corresponding to multiple features of the product""s use or capabilities;
(r) the packaging further comprises multiple graphic representations of uses or capabilities of the product associated with the multiple switches;
(s) the packaging further comprises illumination means, where the switch means is further adapted to initiate illumination of multiple graphic representations of uses or capabilities of the product by said illumination means.
In a further aspect, packaging for a toy comprises: means to hold and display the toy; an electrical storage battery; an integrated circuit chip comprising pre-programmed sound segments relevant to the toy; an audio speaker to reproduce said sound segments under the control of the integrated circuit chip; and switch means located on the packaging to initiate the flow of electrical power to the integrated circuit chip; such that when a user activates the switch means, the sound segments are audibly reproduced.
In a further aspect of the invention, a packaging and product combination comprises electrical power means to provide electrical power to the product and the packaging, integrated circuit means associated with the packaging programmed to control a visual display associated with the packaging, and switch means adapted to trigger the integrated circuit means to perform visual display commands to create the visual display associated with the packaging.
In a further aspect of the invention, the packaging and product combination comprises electrical power means to provide electrical power to the product and the packaging, integrated circuit means programmed to control a visual display associated with the packaging, and switch means adapted to trigger the integrated circuit means to perform visual display commands to create the visual display associated with the packaging.
In further aspects of this embodiment of the invention:
(a) the product comprises the integrated circuit means and the switch means and further comprises communication means to carry signals from the integrated circuit means to the packaging;
(b) the communication means comprises a physical electrical connection; and
(c) the communication means comprises a wireless electromagnetic transmitter and wherein the packaging further comprises receiver means to receive signals from said transmitter.
In a further aspect of the invention a packaging and toy combination comprises: means associated with the packaging to hold and display the toy; electrical power means to provide electrical power to the toy and the packaging; integrated circuit means comprising pre-programmed sound segments; sound reproduction means associated with each of the packaging and the toy under the control of the integrated circuit means; and switch means located on the packaging to initiate the flow of electrical power to the integrated circuit chip means; such that when a user activates the switch means, the sound segments are reproduced sequentially by the sound reproduction means of each of the packaging and the toy.
In a further aspect of the invention, point of purchase or point of sale display material for demonstrative use in association with a product comprises: a source of electrical power; integrated circuit means comprising pre-programmed sound segments relevant to the product; sound reproduction means to reproduce sound under the control of the integrated circuit means; and switch means to initiate activity of the integrated circuit means; such that when the switch means is activated, pre-programmed sound segments suitable to demonstrate the use or capabilities of the product are generated.
In a further aspect of the invention, a two-component toy comprises: a first part comprising a doll, character figure, or action figure; a second part comprising a play-set to be used in association with said first part; said second part comprising a source of electrical power, integrated circuit means comprising pre-programmed sound segments relevant to the product, sound reproduction means to reproduce sound under the control of the integrated circuit means, switch means to initiate activity of the integrated circuit means, such that when the switch means is activated, pre-programmed sound segments suitable to demonstrate the use or capabilities of the first part in conjunction with the second part are generated.
In a further aspect of the invention, a two-component product comprises: a first part comprising a useful article; a second part comprising display means adapted to demonstrate uses or capabilities of the first part, and intended to remain generally associated with said first part; said second part comprising a source of electrical power, integrated circuit means comprising programmed sequences of audible or visual information relevant to the first part, demonstration means adapted to manifest the audible or visual information under control of the integrated circuit means, and switch means to initiate activity of the integrated circuit means.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.